Water Background Booklet-FINAL
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Interesting Places to Visit An introduction to: To learn more about the places mentioned in this booklet, visit the North Mountain Park Nature Water of the Rogue Valley Center where the following Interpretive Cards are on display. North Mountain Park Nature Center North Mountain Park Nature Center A division of the Ashland Parks and Recreation Department 620 N Mountain Ave ~ Ashland, OR 541.488.6606 ~ www.northmountainpark.org 28 Version 1: April 2009 1940s: Ashland builds a secondary wastewater treatment plant. About this booklet 1950s: Passenger service discontinued between Portland and Ashland on the Southern Pacific Railroad. 1952: Concrete cover for Crowson Reservoir constructed to protect the purity of the This booklet is one piece of the North Mountain Park Nature Center’s interpretation of the use of stored water. Ashland City Council changes name of Reeder Gulch Dam to the local resources. The area represented by the term “local” includes the Rogue Valley of Earl Hosler Dam as Hosler retires. southwestern Oregon, with an emphasis on the Ashland area. 1955: USFS puts Ashland Creek Watershed under multiple use management. Roads constructed and logging operations continue until 1965. Flood. While every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy, this booklet is not meant to be a formal 1959: Bear Creek closed to water withdrawals due to over-appropriation. work but is rather to be used by educators and others seeking an introduction to the topic of local 1960 : Talent Project enlarged bringing Hyatt, Howard Prairie and Emigrant reservoirs water use. It is hoped that readers of this booklet will be inspired to use this information to help to current storage capacity. Mt. Ashland Ski Resort opens. make decisions that will enhance the livability of the Rogue Valley for both its people and its 1962: Flood Control Act authorizes construction of Lost Creek, Applegate and Elk wildlife now and into the future. Creek Dams. 1964: Water treatment plant updated to high rate filtration system and increased We invite any and all comments to this document, which will be updated periodically in an effort capacity to 8 million gallons per day. Flood. to reflect the most accurate information available. 1966: Ashland buys another large chunk of TID to augment Ashland’s supply during the summer months either by pumping it into the water treatment plant or by Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals who helped with research and releasing it into Ashland Creek. Reeder Gulch Reservoir dredged. 57,000 cubic supplying photographs and graphics: Southern Oregon Historical Society, Rogue Valley Council yards of silt had accumulated as a result of the 1964 flood. of Governments, Jackson County Parks and Recreation, City of Ashland Public Works Depart- 1971: Medford completes secondary wastewater treatment facility on Kirtland Road. ment, Medford City Councilor Ben Truwe, and Photographer Robert Mumby, and Photographer Ashland pumping station to carry TID water to the treatment plant below Hosler Morgan Cottle. Dam completed. 1972: Clean Water Act sets national water quality goals and addresses point and non- point pollution sources. Resultant monitoring shows Bear Creek has excessive fecal bacteria (indicating human/animal waste in the water), sediment, algae, low, erratic flows and high temperatures. Sources cited 1974: Flood knocks out water filtration plant in Ashland. 1977: Ashland purchases temporary pipeline and pumps to carry TID water to Atwood, Kay “Where Living Waters Flow: An Overview of Ashland’s Water Source,” 1998. treatment plant. Dittmer, Eric Document for the Bear Creek Valley Water Forum, January 2004. 1980s: Oregon, along with other states, prioritizes streams with excess nutrient levels. Reid, Ian “Summary of Changes in Fish Populations in the Bear Creek Watershed and Bear Creek selected for remediation. The Endangered Species Act raises aware- Contacts,” July 7, 2003. ness (and controversy) about certain declining species such as salmonids. Rogue Basin Coordinating Council 1990s: Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for nutrients established for Ashland and Emigrant Lake Resource Mgmt Plan BLM/Jackson Co. Parks agriculture by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to reduce algae RVCOG Bear Creek Watershed Riparian Planting Plan and increase dissolved oxygen. Local Agricultural Water Management Plan Fattig, Paul — Mail Tribune adopted. Ashland begins major upgrade of its treatment facility. Damian Mann — Mail Tribune, “Beyond Lithia Water” 1995: Renovation of Ashland’s Water Treatment Plant. 1997: Flood! Discussion of TAP line begins (water line intertie from Medford). Acknowledgements: This booklet was written and formatted by staff and contractors of the 2000s: Concerns raised about water imported from the Klamath Basin. Additional Ashland Parks and Recreation Department. TMDL’s are proposed for the entire Rogue River Basin that will further impact Bear Creek. 2 27 A Timeline of Local Historic Water Events Table of Contents 1851: First water right claimed in Oregon by Jacob Wagner on Wagner Creek in Talent. The Bear Creek Watershed .......................................................................................4-5 Gold discovered near Jacksonville. 1852: Abel Helman and Eber Emery arrive in Ashland, build sawmill on Ashland Creek. 1854: Hargadine Ditch constructed. Ashland’s flour mill constructed on Ashland Creek. Historic conditions of the Bear Creek Watershed ......................................................6-7 1856: Million Ditch constructed. Native Americans marched to reservation. 1858: Helman Ditch constructed. First people and their use of water ...............................................................................8 1859: Oregon becomes 33rd state. 1861: Ashland flood. Anderson Mining Ditch located. Trappers, miners & settlers enter the valley ..................................................................9 1864: Smith-Myer-Roper Ditch constructed. 1867: Ashland’s woolen mill constructed on Ashland Creek. Pioneer settlement brings new water needs...........................................................10-11 1874: Ashland’s poor sanitation and water shortages leads to town charter. 1885: Hydraulic mining operation begins work on Ashland Creek. Population growth and new water systems.................................................................12 1893: Creation of Ashland Forest Reserve to protect the city’s municipal water supply. 1887: Water-piping system for fire protection completed. Railroad reaches Ashland from north and south — golden spike driven in on April 16th. The arrival of water districts.......................................................................................13 1890: Ashland’s waterworks constructed - city piping system replaces old ditches, open reservoir on upper Granite Street, and electric power plant constructed. Ashland Local springs and mineral waters ..........................................................................14-15 becomes the first town in Jackson County to have electric power. 1899: Oregon passes a statewide ban on beaver trapping. Expanding and improving water delivery systems .................................................16-17 1904: Ashland city takes over power and light plant; city purchases water rights from flour mill and Iron Works. The valley’s water systems grow more complex .........................................................18 1905: Ashland Electric Power and Light Company shuts down their power plant. 1909: Ashland Municipal Electric Light plant opens. Dams and small reservoirs These same systems still exist today ...........................................................................19 constructed on the east and west forks of Ashland Creek to divert creek flow for power production and domestic use in the high elevation sections of the city. Water in the valley: too little vs. too much............................................................20-21 City purchases Anderson Mining Ditch. 1914: Passage of a bond issue designed to pipe Lithia water and other mineral waters into Lithia Park and the plaza. Salmon: concern for water quantity and quality ....................................................22-23 1923: Ashland City Council votes to acquire permanent stored water from the Talent Irrigation District (TID). Water quality issues today ....................................................................................24-25 1924: Contract for TID to construct Emigrant Dam and reservoir. 1927: Medford develops new domestic water supply in Big Butte Springs. Construction A timeline of local historic water events................................................................26-27 of Crowson Hill Reservoir. 1928: Hosler Dam constructed with the resulting Reeder Reservoir supplies Ashland Interesting places to visit............................................................................................28 with domestic water. 1929: City and Forest Service craft agree that Ashland Creek Watershed is to be protected and managed for domestic water use. Timber harvest halted. 26 3 Issue: Sedimentation The Bear Creek Watershed Sediments, or suspended particles, cloud the water and make it hard for fish and other aquatic organ- isms to obtain oxygen. Increased sedimentation comes from a variety of sources including hillside erosion from road building and use, development, and inputs from impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads, and roofs. Solution: Since much of the problem is associated